Ferrari sporting director steps down

Ferrari sporting director Massimo Rivola has stepped down to head the team's driver academy.

Faenza-born Rivola, who joined Ferrari from Minardi in 2006 as Team Manager, was promoted to the role of Sporting Director in 2009.

The move to head the Ferrari Driver Academy (FDA) sees him replace Luca Baldisserri who has left Ferrari in order to manage former FDA protege Lance Stroll.

The move, confirmed by Rivola today, was first revealed by former Communications Manager at Ferrari, Luca Colajanni, who lamented Baldisserri's departure.

Clearly feeling the FDA will suffer following Baldisserri's departure, on his personal blog, Colajanni wrote: "I will not go into the details of what does this thing mean to the Ferrari Driver Academy, the project that Luca has created, along with Stefano Domenicali, and followed from the very beginning.

"Massimo Rivola will take responsibility, and this choice is already an indication of what will become the FDA, since it will not necessarily be the same thing: a proper training school, not only of young drivers but also of young men.

"The great objective of the FDA was to bring one of his youngsters driving a Scuderia Ferrari official car: that goal would have been achieved if we had not been taken away from our hearts a young talent and a great man as Jules Bianchi."

While there has been no official confirmation of Rivola's appointment - or Baldisserri's departure - from Ferrari, the Sporting Director's decision to step down came via (where else) social media.

"After 18 years of F1, of which 12 have been on the pitwall, it's time to make a pitstop," wrote Rivola.